TSC leaves for all Teachers: Sick, Maternity, Paternity, Study and all other Leaves

By | July 20, 2020

Recruitment of teachers by the Commission is demand driven and has been decentralized to TSC County for primary schools and Board of Management for post-primary institutions.

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, gives teachers a number of leaves. For you to get Sick leave, Maternity Leave, Study Leave and all other leaves, you must apply through writing to the Commission. A leave period is the time span within which a teacher is allowed to be off duty.

Whereas most leaves are sought for through official communication, others are automatic; like those taken during public holidays.

ALL TYPES OF TSC LEAVES.

Illustrated below are all the common types of TSC leaves that can be taken by teachers.

Permission to be Absent from Duty

You may at one time be unable to attend to the duties assigned by the Commission as required; maybe due to your own pressing, personal, issues. In this case, you are required to apply in writing to the Head of Institution for permission to be absent from duty.

Permission to be absent from duty is granted by the Head of Institution in writing.

Annual Leave

As a teacher you are entitled to a maximum of thirty (30) days leave with full pay in respect of each calendar year worked irrespective of the terms and conditions of service.

Annual leave shall only:-

  •  be taken during school holidays; and
  • not be accumulated to be carried forward from year to year.

Application for Annual Leave

You can apply for annual leave during school holidays by filling the annual leave application form.

You need to fill the application form and give it to the head of institution for recommendation. You will then, have to take the form to the Sub-county Director who will approve your leave. A copy of the form is dispatched to the TSC Head quarter and another to the County Director for filing.

Sick Leave

When ill you may be unable to attend to the duties assigned by the Commission as required. In such a case, it is prudent that you apply for Sick Leave to the Commission through the Head of Institution.

You will have to fill the sick leave application form that should be taken to the Sub-county Director of Education for approval.

An application for Sick Leave shall be forwarded to the Commission not later than Forty Eight (48) hours where the teacher attended hospital as an out-patient and not later than  seven (7) days where the teacher is an in-patient.

A Head of Institution shall forward a teacher’s application for Sick Leave with the relevant medical documents to the Sub County Director.

Where you are unable to apply for Sick Leave in person due to the nature or extent of sickness, the Head of Institution shall inform the Sub County Director in writing within fourteen days from the date of receiving information of the sickness.

Application for sick leave by Head of Institution

A Head of Institution who on account of illness, is unable to attend to the duties assigned by the Commission as required, shall apply for Sick Leave to the Commission through
the Sub County Director.

An application for sick leave by a Head of Institution shall be forwarded to the Commission not later than Forty Eight(48) hours where the Head of Institution attended hospital as an out-patient and not later than seven (7) days where the Head of Institution is an in-patient.

The Sub County Director shall forward a Head of Institution’s application for sick leave with the relevant medical documents to the County Director.

Where the Head of Institution is unable to apply for sick leave in person due to the nature or extent of sickness, the Sub County Director shall inform the County Director in writing within fourteen (14) days from the date of receiving information of the sickness.

Sick Leave Entitlement

The Commission may approve Sick Leave for a teacher in any period of twelve (12) months continuously, which sick leave may be granted: –

  • for a maximum period of three(3) months with full pay;
  • on half pay for a further three(3) months where the sickness extends beyond the third month; and
  • without pay where the sickness extends beyond six(6) months until the teacher resumes duties.

The Commission shall, where a teacher applying for Sick Leave is serving on contractual terms for a period not exceeding one(1) year, grant Sick Leave: –

  •  for a maximum period one month with full pay;
  • on half pay for a further one month when the sickness extends beyond the first month;
    and
  •  without pay where the sickness extends beyond two(2) months until the teacher resumes duty;Where the teacher is continuously on Sick Leave for a period exceeding one (1) year, the Commission shall recommend to the Director of Medical Services to convene a Medical Board to determine whether or not such a teacher is fit to continue teaching.

Where a teacher who has been on sick leave continuously for more than six (6) months in
a period of twelve (12) months reports back for duty, the teacher shall report for posting in person to the County Director and shall produce a Certificate of Medical Fitness from a registered medical practitioner.

Application for Sick Leave

A registered Medical Practitioner may recommend that on account of illness a teacher: –

  • be admitted to a hospital for treatment;
  • be granted off-duty to recuperate; or
  • receives medical treatment at home;

Where a registered medical practitioner recommends a leave of less than six (6) months for a teacher or Head of Institution, the teacher or Head of Institution shall apply for Sick Leave to the Commission and the leave may be granted by the County Director.

Where a teacher has continuously been on Sick Leave for a period exceeding six (6) months, the County Director shall forward the teacher’s application for Sick Leave to the Secretary.

The Commission shall, where a teacher fails to apply for Sick Leave in accordance with these Regulations, consider the teacher to be absent from duty without permission and may take disciplinary action against the teacher.

The Commission shall consider the recommendation for Sick Leave from a registered Medical Practitioner: –

  • only where the leave authorized does not exceed a maximum of two(2) weeks; and
  • where a further medical report submitted to the Commission to the effect that the
    teacher requires to be absent from duty for a period exceeding two weeks.

A teacher who donates an organ to a patient shall apply for Sick Leave as per the registered Medical Practitioner’s recommendation.

A teacher who submits false medical documents to the Commission shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Sick Leave Outside the Country

Where a teacher is referred by a registered medical practitioner to seek medical attention outside the country, the teacher shall be entitled to sick leave with pay in accordance with these Regulations.

Where a teacher seeks medical attention outside the country without recommendation from a registered Medical Practitioner, the Commission may approve sick leave without pay upon verification of a medical report from the health institution which the teacher attended.

Maternity Leave

If you are a Female teacher who is expectant, then you are entitled to a Maternity Leave. You may apply to the Sub County Director through the Head of Institution for Maternity Leave by completing the Maternity Leave Application Form.

A female teacher shall give the Head of Institution at least three(3) months written
notification of the intention to proceed on Maternity Leave which shall be accompanied by a letter from a registered medical practitioner indicating the Expected Date of Delivery.

The Commission may grant a female teacher Maternity Leave for ninety(90) calendar days with full pay with effect from the date of delivery and the teacher shall not forfeit her annual leave on account of having taken maternity leave.

Proceeding on Maternity Leave without Approval

The Commission shall take disciplinary action against a female teacher who proceeds on Maternity Leave without written approval from the Commission.

Paternity Leave

The Commission shall upon application, grant a male teacher ten(10) working days Paternity Leave with full pay within the duration of his wife’s Maternity Leave which leave maybe granted only once a year.

An application for Paternity Leave shall be through completing the Paternity Application Form.

The Commission may take disciplinary action against a teacher who proceeds on Paternity Leave without written approval from the Commission.

Study Leave

A teacher who intends to proceed on Study Leave shall apply to the Commission through the Head of Institution by completing the application for Study Leave shall be in the manner set out in Form S under Schedule XXXI;

A teacher may only proceed on Study Leave with written approval from the Commission and after being released in writing by the Head of Institution.

A teacher who proceeds on Study Leave without the written approval from the Commission and before being formally released in writing by the Head of Institution shall be considered to have deserted duty and shall be liable for disciplinary action.

The Commission may take disciplinary action against a Head of Institution who fails to release a teacher to proceed on Study Leave when the leave has been granted.

Conditions for Approval of Study Leave

The Commission may grant study leave to a teacher who: –

  • has worked for the Commission for a minimum period of five(5) years from the dateof first appointment;
  • seeks to undertake a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate degree; and
  •  has demonstrated a good record in performance.

A teacher who intends to apply for a scholarship shall apply through the Commission if the teacher meets the conditions of the Study Leave Policy stipulated and these Regulations.

The Commission may grant Study Leave without pay to a teacher who: –

  • applies to study in an area that is not in the school’s curricula or an area that is not covered by the study leave policy; or
  • wishes to take Study Leave before completing three (3)years upon resumption of duty from study leave irrespective of whether such leave was with or without pay.

A teacher appointed or deployed by the Commission to an administrative position who takes Study Leave for a period exceeding six (6) months shall relinquish the position.

The Commission shall in approving an application for Study Leave by a teacher, take into consideration the staffing position of the institution at which the teacher is stationed.